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Following today’s shock news of a General Election the following Labour MPs have confirmed they are standing down:

Pat Glass, Durham North West

Steve Rotheram, Liverpool Walton

Andy Burnham, Leigh

Ronnie Campbell, Blyth*

Tom Blenkinsop, Middlesborough South and East Cleveland

Alan Johnson, Hull West and Hessle

*Following the publishing of this article Campbell did a u-turn and announced he was in fact standing.

Others will likely follow but these are the seats that have confirmed so far. The information I published has been obtained by talking to key players in the local areas, people in the trade unions, MPs, people on the NEC and other high level sources.

Liverpool Walton

It’s likely that Theresa Griffin MEP for the North West will get this seat. I understand from multiple sources that she is standing and has the support of Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson. Anderson has a strong power base in Walton.

Sources tell me that Steve Rotheram does not want Theresa and was delaying announcing that he was standing down because he wanted to engineer a strong rival candidate. I understand this is the reason why the by-election wasn’t originally held on the same day as the Liverpool Metro Mayor Election.

Griffin didn’t return my phone calls.

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Leigh

The overwhelming favourite is Councillor Jo Platt, an Executive Member on Wigan Council. It is believed she has Andy Burnham’s support and likely to be widely supported. Former Bury North Candidate James Frith is also running for the seat.

Platt didn’t return my phone calls.

Blyth

Councillor Laura Pidcock will almost certainly get this seat. An anti racist campaigner, she currently works for the TUC and was born and raised in the seat where she currently lives and represents as a Councillor. She is well liked nationally and will have the support of the unions.

Laura declined to comment. Sources close to her say she is running and likely to declare in coming days.

Hull West and Hessle

This seat is likely to be a real fight. The likely candidates are social care worker and senior Momentum activist Joe Riches, David Prescott and Hull Deputy Council Leader Darren Hale.

Mr Riches confirmed to me he is standing and he has high level NEC support, that make him a very strong candidate. I’ve spoken to several NEC members who are supporting Mr Riches. David Prescott is likely to run but didn’t reply. Mr Hale said, "I am being urged to stand by local people and cllrs who feel that we will only hold the seat with locally known candidate with record if delivery in Hull. As the Deputy Leader of the UK City of Culture 2017 I am well placed to serve".

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and Durham North West

These seats currently do not have clear front runners. Many people consider Middlesborough lost which is why they don't want to contest it. Several names have been mentioned to me, but I'm not confident enough to name them.

This page will be updated as and when more information becomes available.

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